Controlling mechanism for locks



(No Model.)

R. A. PALMER. GONTRO'LLING MEGHANISM FOR LOCKS.

No. 540,025. Patented May 28, 1895.

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UNITED STATES ROSOOE A. PALMER, OF BOSTON, ASSIGNOR TO ABNER J. TOWER, TRUSTEE,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

CONTROLLING MECHANISIVI FOR LOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,02 5, dated May 28, 1895. Application led February 4, 1895- Serial No. 537|165.y I (No model.)

tion from the exterior, under ordinary cir` cumstances, but which can be released when desired from one ormore of the distant points. Such devices areparticularly desirable for the street doors of apartment houses, the various tenants using the same entrance, and each tenant having under his control means for releasing the door lock at will. So far as I am aware, however, all such devices necessitate the employment of a specially designed and constructed lock and co-operating parts, of much greater cost than the ordinary door lock, and thus precluding their adoption save in the better class of apartment houses, and -also in many other'buildingsV wherein such protection would be desirable, but which is not employed on account of the expense.

This invention has for its object the production of a simple and efticient controlling mechanism which may be applied to and used in connection with any usual form of door lock, at a small expense and performing all the functions of the expensive apparatus now in the market.

My invention can be equally well applied to doors already fitted with usual locks as to those in process of construction.

In accordance therewithmy invention consists in a normally disconnected two-part spindle, a notched disk onione member, a tumbler engaging sleeve rotatable on said member and rigidly connected to the other member, a coupling latch movable with the sleeve, an actuator to move the latch into engagement with the disk, an electro-magnet to positively move the actuator, and means to automatically release the actuator and uncouple the spindle members a-t'ter the bolt has been moved, substantially as will be described.

Other features of my invention will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims'.

Figure l represents, in side elevation, a portion of the inner side of a door adjacent the usual lock with myinvention applied thereto, the cover-plate and inside knob being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 0c, Fig. l, the inner and outer knobs being removed and the two part spindle broken oft' to save space; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the two-part spindle and the normally-inoperative coupling therefor.

Inasmuch as myinvention may be oper atively applied to any ordinary form of door lock by simple removal of the usual knob spindle, I have shown in Fig. 2 the door D as recessed at D to receive therein the lock case, the relative positions of the latch-bolt L and key-bolt L being indicated by dotted lines. The door is`mortised on its inner side to receive therein the casing a, within which the operative parts of the controlling mechanism are supported, said casing being provided with a cover-plate 0,. Shown in Fig. 2.

A two-part spindle b, c, is extended through the casing a and the usual lock case, the part b having at its inner end an arc-like ange b', rigidly connected to but slightly separated from a similar flange b2 fast on a sleeve b3, squared externally to enter the usual tumbler,

not shown, for operating the latch-bolt L, a

knob K being shown in Fig. 3 as secured by a set screw k to the part b, on the inner side ofthe door, by means of which the said latchbolt may always be operated. The anges b', b2, are `herein shown as connected by screw bolts l and 2, but it is obvious that they could be otherwise connected. The flange b2 limits the longitudinal movement of the sleeve b3 and attached parts by bearing against the back of the casing a. i

As shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the part c of the two-part spindle is squared to receive therein the outer knob, the shank k Vthereof being shown in section, Fig. 2, the said part c beingreduced in diameter'at e and made IOO in Fig. 1, as substantially circular, is secured to or integral with the part c of the spindle, between the Hanges b and b2, and provided with a lug or projection c3 and a peripheral notch c4. A two-armed rocker (l is rounded lat its ends at d to normally take bearings in the upper corners of the casing a, and is normally held in its central position, shown in full lines Fig. l, by a spring s, attached at one end to the top of the casing and at its other end to the apex of the rocker d, which is slotted thereat at cl2 to embrace the lug or projection c3 on the disk c2. Rotation of the disk in one or the other direction by the part c of the spindle swings the rocker d about one or the other end d', against the action of the spring s, which returns thedisk and part c to full line position Fig. l when released. Limiting stops d4 prevent rotation of the disk c2 in either direction by engaging the rocker d, as shown by dotted lines Fig. l.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that partial rotation of the part c of the spindle will ordinarily have no effect on the latch- -bolt L, while the latter may at all times be operated by the part b of the spindle.

A latch e, herein shown as curved, is pivoted at e between the flanges b and b2, and provided -at its upper side with a lug e2 adapted to enter the notch c4 of the disk c2, the free end of the latch resting against and being. prevented from falling by an abutment bx on one of the flanges. See dotted lines, Fig. 1. If the latch is raised to enter the lug e2 into the peripheral notch c4 of the disk the two parts b andA c of the spindle will be locked to move in unison, and at such time-the latchbolt L can be operated from the outside.

An electro-magnetfis mounted in the casing a, its armature f being pivoted at f2 and so arranged relative to the poles of the magnet that when they attract the armature, it will be lifted, and a rod f3 pivoted to the latter will be raised until a lip f4 thereon will catch upon the cross piece f5, the rod being drawn inward by a spring s', though the spring may be otherwise located than herein shown. The rod fB has at its upper end a projection f6 extending inward beneath the latch e, and when the armature is attracted and the rod lifted, said projection willengage'` and lift the latch e until the lug e2 thereon enters the notch c4 in the disk, the lip f4 engaging the bar f5 and maintaining the rod lifted after the magnet is de-energized by the breaking of the circuit in which the magnet is included by the Wires 5, 6, Fig. l. Rotation of the outer knob will then withdraw the latch bolt L, and the door can be opened, the rod f3 serving as an actuator for the latch e, which is the operative member of the spindle coupling.

Cams 7 and 8 on the flange b are located at opposite sides of the actuator f3, and when the spindle is turned to withdraw the latchbolt, as described, one or the other of the cams will engage and move the actuator outward to disengage the lip f4 from its support f5,

and the weight of the actuator and armature will cause it to return to its normal position against a stop fx. Just as soon thereafter as the outer knob is released, the usual lock spring will return the spindle to normal position and the latch e will drop by gravity, withdrawing the lug e2 from engagement with the disk c2 and uncoupling the two parts l) and c of the spindle.

The circuit of the electro-magnetfincludes a number of push buttons at different points, by any one of which the circuit may be closed and the magnet energized to operate the actuator and couple the two parts of the spindle.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the two-part spindle is automatically uncoupled after each movement of the latch-bolt from the exterior, without further attention, and the lock is reset, as it were.

The conducting wires 5, 6, connected tothe poles of the electro-magnet, pass through the door, and are connected by suitable connections With wiresleading to different points.

To apply my controlling mechanism to an ordinary lock, the usual knob spindle is removed therefrom and the two-part spindle substituted, as shown and described.

I claiml. A normally disconnected two-part spindle, a notched disk on one member, a tumbler engaging sleeve rotatable on said member and rigidly connected to the other member, a-

coupling latch movable with the sleeve, an actuator to move the latch into engagement with the disk, an electro-magnet to positively move the actuator, and means to automati-` cally release the actuator and uncouple the spindle members after the bolt has been moved, substantially as described.

2. A detachable controlling mechanism for and adapted to be applied to door locks, coinprising a normally disconnected two-part spindle, a notched disk on one member, a tumbler engaging sleeve rotatable on said member and rigidly connected to the other member, a latch movable with the sleeve, to co-operate with the disk, an actuator to move it into engagement therewith to couple the two members of the spindle, an electro-magnet to positively move the actuator, a detent therefor, and means to automatically release the actuator and detent and thereby uncouple the spindle members after the bolt has been moved, substantially as described.

3. In a detachable controlling mechanism for door locks, a normally disconnected twopart spindle adapted to be extended through the lock, one member of which is adapted to be operatively connected with a latch-bolt, a spindle coupling, an actuator therefor, and an electro-magnet to positively move the actuator into operative position, to couple the two members of the spindle,`substantially as described.

4. A two-part spindle, one member thereof having a sleeve-like portion to actuate a latchbolt, the other member entering and normally rotating independently of and within the sleeve, and a coupling to at times connect the two members of the spindle to rotate together, combined with an actuator for the coupling, an electro-magnet to positively move it into operative position, and a detent to retain the actuator in such position, and maintain the two members connected, substantially as described.

5. A two-part spindle, one member of which is adapted to actuate a latch-bolt, a normally inoperative latch carried on one, to at times engage a co-operating part of the other member, and an actuator for the latch, combined with an electro-magnet to positively move the actuator into operative position, a fixed detent for the actuator, and a releasing cam controlled by rotation of the spindle, to disengage the actuator from the detent after operation of the bolt, substantially as described.

tion of the coupled spindle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 35 two subscribing witnessesl ROSCOE A. PALMER.

, Witnesses:

JOHN C. EDWARDS, AUGUSTA E. DEAN. 

